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Environmental ScienceBiomes of the World

Biomes of the World

Introduction

The ecosystems of Earth can be divided into several broad categories. A major type of ecosystem with distinctive temperature, rainfall, and organisms is called a biome. Biomes are either terrestrial (on land) or aquatic (in water). On land, the type of biome that occurs in a given area depends on the average temperature and amount of precipitation an area receives. The type of aquatic biome is determined by water depth, nutrients, and nearness to land.

The biome is the largest category scientists use to classify ecosystems. Because each biome is a general category, the conditions in a biome may vary from place to place. The many ecosystems within a biome have different habitats with different conditions and organisms. Every habitat on Earth is different, so any attempt to classify these habitats involves generalization. But the concept of the biome is useful as a way to talk about sets of related habitats.

Some land areas cannot easily be classified as belonging to a particular biome. High mountains, for example, have lower temperatures and receive more precipitation than surrounding areas. For this reason, the plants and animals found in mountainous regions can be quite different from those in nearby lowlands. In Earth’s polar regions, life is largely absent from the thick icecaps that cover much of Greenland and Antarctica. But where there is exposed land, mosses and lichens can grow, and seabirds and mammals are abundant in coastal areas.

Classifying the World’s Biomes

The world’s biomes can be classified by their range of temperatures and annual precipitation. Fill in the chart on the following page, which will provide you with some general information about each of the world’s biomes.

Use the following websites to help you fill in the chart:

Biome

/ Range of Annual Temperatures / Annual Precipitation / Common Vegetation / Common Animals /

Locations

Deserts
Tropical Forests
Temperate Forests
Taiga
Tundra
Savanna
Grassland or Prairie
Chaparral
Freshwater
Marine

Biome Projects

You (and a partner, if you wish) will be responsible for providing images to the class about one of the biomes as part of a PowerPoint presentation. This presentation should be primarily based on pictures and images, but you will also need to give us some information.

You should include the following information in your presentation:

Climate information – annual precipitation, range of temperatures, variation in seasons, etc.

Typical vegetation – kinds of plants that grow in the biome’s ecosystems

Typical animals – what kinds of animals live in the biome’s ecosystems – divide them into categories by what they eat (herbivores, carnivores, omnivores)

Threats to the biome – what natural threats exist? What human-caused threats exist?

Map of the biome – where is it found worldwide?

Pictures and images of the biome – show us the plants and animals that live there as well as a good overview of what it looks like. For every picture that you find, make sure to have a caption telling what it is.

Biome Discussions

You should also look for an article for the class to read that tells something about your biome – similar to the case studies that we read in class. This shouldn’t just describe your biome like a reference book would; it should give us something to talk about and discuss. After the class reads your article you will be conducting a discussion based on it – so find something worth talking about!

Timeline

Thursday, November 6 – spend time in computer lab filling in Biome Chart

Monday, November 10 – Biome Chart must be complete

Wednesday, November 12 – PowerPoint must be complete

Thursday, November 13 – Turn in article and five discussion questions